More than 100,000 people are expected to visit Pikeville this week for the return of Hillbilly Days. The popular festival was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.
The event is organized through a partnership between the City of Pikeville, the Pike County Fiscal Court, the Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, and the Pike County Shrine Club.
Jordan Gibson is President and CEO of Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. He said the festival will once again benefit a Shriner’s Hospital.
“We're typically fortunate to be able to donate about $75,000 to the Shrine Club back at the end of the year. And then those funds are then moved to the Children's Hospital in Lexington. And so we expect to be able to do the same thing this year that we've typically done,” said Gibson.
In addition to the children’s hospital, Gibson said the local economies of Pike and surrounding counties will see a boost.
“We already have people in town staying in hotels, we have folks staying in South Williamson and Prestonsburg and the surrounding communities that are all here to enjoy the festival. And so it's a great impact not only locally but regionally on the economy,” said Gibson.
Gibson explained that in years past, local businesses reported a 10% to 20% increase in sales during the festival.
Hillbilly Days runs through Saturday night.
